What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedUnderbelly
Series · 2008
If you loved Underbelly, start with Chopper (Andrew Dominik, 2000) — a film on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to Underbelly across media.
If Underbelly captured your fascination, you will appreciate these gritty explorations of how organized crime shapes history and destroys lives.
Books on the same thread
Gomorrah
Roberto Saviano · Book · 2007
Shares a thread with Underbelly: Organized Crime.
Like Underbelly, this investigative work exposes the brutal reality of systemic corruption and the deep-seated influence of mafia networks operating within the heart of modern society.
Under the Banner of Heaven
Jon Krakauer · Book
Explores: Religious extremism, Fundamentalist violence, Institutional secrecy.
This gripping investigation mirrors the dark true-crime roots of Underbelly by dissecting how institutional secrecy and radicalized beliefs can spiral into devastating, real-world acts of violence.
Say Nothing
Patrick Radden Keefe · Book
Explores: sectarian violence, radicalization, conspiracy.
If you enjoyed the historical scope of Underbelly, this account of the Troubles provides a similar look at how political history and sectarian conflict fuel criminal activity.
True History of the Kelly Gang
Peter Carey · Book · 2010
Explores: unreliable narrator, class struggle, anti-hero.
This narrative dives into the legendary Australian outlaw mythos, providing a historical perspective on the same anti-hero culture that defined the criminal underworld seen in Underbelly.
Films on the same thread
Chopper
Andrew Dominik · Film · 2000
Explores: Criminal Biography, Violence and Infamy, Anti-hero.
This portrait of a notorious figure captures the same raw volatility and criminal infamy that made the various gangland biographies in Underbelly so compelling to watch.
GoodFellas
Martin Scorsese · Film · 1990
Shares a thread with Underbelly: Organized Crime.
Much like Underbelly, this film tracks the rise and fall of mobsters, focusing on the inevitable betrayal and moral decay that accompany a life within organized crime.
The Departed
Martin Scorsese · Film · 2006
Shares 2 threads with Underbelly: Betrayal, Organized Crime.
This story of infiltration echoes the tension found in Underbelly, specifically the constant threat of betrayal and the blurred lines between law enforcement and the criminal underworld.
Donnie Brasco
Mike Newell · Film · 1997
Shares a thread with Underbelly: Betrayal.
This film explores the personal toll of infiltrating a criminal syndicate, capturing the same psychological identity crisis and conflict of loyalty present throughout the Underbelly series.
Podcasts on the same thread
Secrets of the Underworld
Podshape · Podcast
Shares a thread with Underbelly: Organized Crime.
These firsthand accounts from the Sydney nightclub scene offer the same intimate look at underworld figures and gangland history that made Underbelly such a gripping experience.
Naked City
Podcast
Shares a thread with Underbelly: Organized Crime.
Drawing on deep investigative reporting, this podcast navigates the Australian criminal underworld with the same focus on historical truth that served as the foundation for Underbelly.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Underbelly based on a true story?
Yes, Underbelly is an Australian television series where each individual series is a stand alone story based on real-life events. The show dramatizes these historical occurrences to provide a factual foundation for its narrative structure.
What order should I watch Underbelly in?
Because each series of Underbelly is a stand alone story based on real-life events, you can watch them in any order. The series do not follow a continuous plot, allowing viewers to choose any season to begin their experience with the show.
How many seasons of Underbelly are there?
Underbelly is an Australian television true crime-drama series consisting of multiple seasons. Each series functions as a stand alone story based on real-life events, meaning there is no required viewing order for the various installments.
Is Underbelly a continuous series?
Underbelly is not a single continuous story. It is an Australian television true crime-drama series where each series is a stand alone story based on real-life events. This episodic format allows each season to focus on different historical crimes.